It's been a while since I got to read a book by Colleen Coble so when I saw this one, I grabbed it! I always enjoy her work. I didn't realize it was several books into a series, but it stood alone on it's own absolutely fine. The book kept my wheels turning trying to figure out what was going on, who might be the bad guy, and wondering if the main character would get her memories back. I was quite interested in these characters and the outcome of their story, so I will probably go back and read the other books in the series as well. I love that the book is edgy but not completely out of whack due to the fact that it is written in the genre of Christian suspense. That doesn't mean it isn't suspenseful or interesting. I think Mrs. Coble does a fantastic job of pushing the envelope without it getting to an uncomfortable level. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense novels.

Haven of Swans

A Rock Harbor Novel
by Colleen Coble

Thomas Nelson--FICTION

Thomas Nelson
Christian

Pub Date 02 May 2017

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of Haven of Swans through Thomas Nelson-Fiction and Netgalley:

He calls himself Gideon, Gideon the Destroyer of Evil.

He had tried to kill her, but she drove bleeding, unsure of how much blood she lost. She needs to get her and her daughter away from him before he kills her.

A woman finds her bleeding, on the side of the road, her little girl in her arms, and realizes she needs help, but the woman, a woman who can't even remember her name is trying to escape something, someone.

Her necklace only reveals her first name Elena, but otherwise she doesn't know who she is, or what she does.

Eventually she remembers her last name too, Elena Cox, her little girl's name is Terri.

With a little help from the internet Elena discovers she lived in the Detroit area and taught Ballet.

Dead bodies are starting to show up in the waters of Rock Harbor. While looking at Swans Elena and her new friend Bree find a dead body.

Soon more truths come to light the serial killer (Gideon) performs amputations when his victims are still alive.

Will Elena (Eve) be able to get away from the man killing her, will they catch the serial killer before he strikes again.

Five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.

Colleen Coble does it again--this time brining back the town of Rock Harbor. This time, a woman without a past shows up with her daughter and the race is on to discover her identity before the person who wants to take her life can identify her location. Coble weaves together a page-turner that plumbs the depths of our own beliefs about marriage, relationships, and second chances.

3 1/2 Stars
Another good book in the Rock Harbor Series. A great group of characters with a good mystery at the center of the story keeps the pages turning. As a new reader to this series, I appreciate that each book can be read as a stand alone. ❤ the search and rescue dogs in each story.

Haven of Swans is a psychological mystery set in Rock Harbor, Upper Peninsula, Michigan. This is part of Colleen Coble's Rock Harbor Novels and was previously released under the title Abomination.

An unknown woman is found bleeding and carrying a small child on the roadside outside of Rock Harbor by search and rescue dog handler Bree Mathews. The woman has clearly been attacked, is extraordinarily frightened, and is in full survival mode for herself and the child in her arms. But she has no idea of who she is, where she came from, who attacked her, or if the child is even hers.

Begging Bree to not involve the police, the stranger does agree to go with Bree and to get discreet medical treatment. Few memories come back to her over the course of several months spent with Bree, her husband and son. They believe they have her name, Elena, from a necklace she was wearing, but that is all.

It isn't until Elena and Bree and her search dog stumble across a body in the woods that things begin to unfold and Elena begins to learn about her past and that she may well be a target for a serial killer.

A fast paced tale of fear and fate, love and loss, and how a twisted mind can seek revenge, this story is both chilling and haunting. Can anyone protect her, can they save her? And will her life ever be the same again? I do recommend this book.

I love Christian fiction! Not only are the books free from cursing and sex that has taken over just every part of the secular section, but the authors are often very talented. Colleen Coble is among this group, and is well known for her outstanding mystery books that for years, have kept me glued to the pages. She writes books that keep my interest until the last page with all the loose ends neatly wrapped up.

In some ways, this book is a bit of a departure from what I am accustomed to. The murderer not only kills his victims, but he mutilates them too by cutting off their faces and other body parts. While her descriptions aren’t very graphic, still, it’s a bit more than I usually come across in a Christian fiction book.

I have to say, however, that even though I prefer not to have that much gruesome information, the story was a good one and I enjoyed the characters.

I loved this book from opening line to closing! Suspense built throughout and the final twist caught me thoroughly off guard, which was awesome! While amnesia normally irritates me in a character, Colleen Coble writes it beautifully, it adds to the narrative and doesn’t slow the pace. I haven’t read the previous three books in the series but had no problem relating to the characters, the town or the story! I do, however, intend to read them now! The murders are brutal and the book has harsh elements that make it more realistic but also darker. The serial killer perspectives are chilling and twisty! The swan thread, highlighted in the title and woven throughout the story, is creepy and clever! A fantastic thriller and highly recommended – 5 out of 5 on the en-JOY-ment scale.

Rarely does a novel capture your attention from the start and not take time setting the stage before the story really begins. Colleen Coble has mastered plot development and giving just enough details to get the story rolling on page 1. Haven of Swans by Colleen Coble begins with a woman and child stranded on a roadside, injured and with amnesia. The main character Eve does not remember much about her life. All she has left is fear that someone wants her dead. The story continues with many twists and turns—you will not be able to put it down! Colleen Coble fans and any fans of mysteries/thrillers will not be disappointed! This books is part of the Rock Harbor series and does include characters from the other books in this series. However, it can be read as a stand alone novel without any difficulties. I received a digital copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

I have read other books by this author and I thought them much better than this one. I would have liked to have more clues as to ending before it all exploded. I felt lost during the story. It seemed I should have known some of the characters and the back story and I didn't. I thought it was a book that could stand alone, but I think that the lack of connections to some of the characters were missing. It was a good story and I did want to get to the end, but I wasn't quite sure how I got there.

I was thrilled when I received this book to read. It is a fabulous book and very well written but a word of warning if you are a Colleen Coble fan this book has been published before under the title Abomination.

This is a re-release from Coble, and was originally published with the title of Abomination. This book is the 4th in the Rock Harbor series. The story starts with a woman being found along the road with a child, bleeding and not sure who she is or where she came from. A nice woman from Rock Harbor takes her in and helps her settle in town, all while trying to remember who she is and who she is running from.
A cop from a different precinct finds a note from a crime scene where a woman and child are missing and the note is from a man who is called Gideon. Gideon kills woman and leaves them at geocaching sites for others to find, all the while playing a game with the police. Time is running out for the woman to remember who she is, and the suburban cop to figure out who Gideon really is before he finds the one who got away.

This is a great book, a suspense that is full of twists. A book I couldn’t put down, I had to know who was behind the killings and how the woman and child fit into the picture. With that being said, I have read this book before – back when it was released almost a decade ago. It is always a slight disappointment when I get books and then realize they are a re-release and even more confusing when it changes titles. Regardless of that, this is a really good story and one readers of Coble will enjoy.

Another masterpiece by Ms Coble. always enjoy her work Thank you for sharing it w/ me. Have highly recommended it to my reading circle.

This was my first Colleen Coble book that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! A true psychological thriller that is fast-moving and suspenseful with a touch of drama and romance.

This book takes everyone back to Rock Harbor with Bree, Kade, and the lovable search and rescue dog Samson, as they assist Captain Nick Andreakos in his search for a serial killer who is really into geocaching.

Coble really has a way of telling a story, throughout the entire book I thought for sure I knew who the killer was, but as I was lead down another path I had my big jaw-dropping moment! I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her books!

*I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Colleen Coble has a true talent to keep readers on the edge of their seats. From the very beginning I realized I shouldn’t read this book at night in my house alone. It was so full of suspense and mystery with twists and turns my head kept saying, “Wait….What?” I thought I knew what was going on and then I didn’t.
I truly loved this book!
The author wove so much into it; the obsessions of a twisted man, the difficulty of a woman who has amnesia, the struggles of a couple who have let things take more priority than their marriage, and the fascination of geocaching and so much more. She wrapped it all up with the silent beauty and mystery of swans.
I highly recommend picking this book up.
I received this book from the publisher to read. All opinions are my own.

HAVEN OF SWANS by Colleen Coble, publish by Thomas Nelson, a Rock Harbor novel, release date of May 2. Takes place in Rock Harbor, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It starts off with the dark side, showing the killer's view. Another side of him going home and kissing his daughter good night. A woman bleeding carrying a child, standing by the road, having been attacked. Luckily Bree finds her and takes her home to where her husband and Samson a search and rescue dog live. There is more killing so another cop shows up, this woman refugee feels a connection to him. Yet, is it good or should she be leery of him. A place in the wilderness, where the swans are at, there is a geocache that will tie them all together. This book was darker then her other books I felt, and have all of hers. I feel her attempt was to write the plot from a killers mind. Some may like and others will not. Given ARC by Net Galley for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

When I think of the "thriller" genre, this is the type of book that comes to mind. Heart-pounding, twisting, turning, edge-of-your-seat reading that it's impossible to put down. Literally. I read the whole book in a day, staying up until 1:00 am to finish it. Going to bed without finishing it wasn't an option. I'm not a fan of things that are creepy, but this book was just eerie enough to make me keep going! I've read many of Colleen Coble's books, and Haven of Swans is now pretty close to the top of my list of favorites. It was previously published under the title Abomination, and that book was on my reading list for a long time. I like this title better, and I think it paints a better picture of what to expect in the story.

A serial killer is lurking in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He calls himself Gideon, and he likes to leave his bodies at geocaching sites for others to find. State policeman Nick Andreakos is searching for him, using clues he leaves behind from religious texts--everything from the Bible to the Koran, to more obscure writings. A woman finds herself driving in a car on a strange road with a little girl in her backseat. She doesn't know who she is, where she's coming from, or where she's going. The only thing she knows is that she's terrified, and someone is trying to kill her. When Bree Matthews finds her, beaten and bloody, she determines to help her. They think she's found safety in Rock Harbor, but Gideon isn't far away, and he'll stop at nothing until he's gotten what he wants. The bodies keep piling up, proving that this man is targeting women with the same characteristics. But, why? What does he want, and why is Eve the only one who will satisfy his desire to kill?

Even though the point of view is constantly changing, you probably won't be able to guess who Gideon is, or what his motive is. In true Coble fashion, the characters are great. They're multi-dimensional with faults and failures, as proved in Nick and Eve's marriage. The story, too, is deep, and never straight-forward. Just when you think you know what's about to happen, the game changes again. I know that fans of Coble's Rock Harbor series will definitely be interested in reading this one.

This book is a bit of a departure from what I usually like to read, but I really loved it. It's hard for me to find books that are scary or truly suspenseful, and still clean and can be called "Christian fiction." If you're looking for books that are exciting, spine-tingling, and downright scary sometimes, but won't make you blush with shame, or feel sick to your stomach, Colleen Coble is your girl! Her recent books, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, Because You're Mine, and now Haven of Swans are all standouts in the thriller/suspense category. Haven of Swans would make a great beach or pool read for this summer--provided you don't mind getting chill bumps while you're trying to get a tan!




I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own, and a favorable review was not required.

An early Coble .Plot was a bit farfetched with the Silence of the Lambs type villian. Police were all incompetent and ignored basic procedures.Not the best in her series.

The characters and the story itself were not particularly compelling, borderline boring, and I read on purely for the mystery. Which was good. Really good, however dark it was. I have literally read countless suspense/mysteries and none of the villain plots are as detailed/interesting as Colleen Coble’s. So while I wouldn’t recommend this book, I would recommend this author.

Another winner from Colleen Coble. This is a complex story with plenty of psychological twists and turns, and I love the town of Rock Harbor and the search and rescue dogs. I think it's fascinating how they grab a scent and are able to follow it to find a missing person. This book was fast-paced and kept me hooked to the end. A little touch of romance too, and it makes for a great read.

I have read several books by Colleen Coble, but this is my first mystery. She does not disappoint. Right from the beginning, she draws you into the story. Eve finds herself on the road, bloodied and with no memory of what happened. She also has her baby daughter with her. She is picked up by Bree, who is driving down the road. So the mystery begins! Who is Eve? Why is she on the road? This is the story of how this mystery is unraveled. Lots of action and suspense along the way. I highly recommend this book to all mystery lovers!